Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



0. D. LULL. Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patnted June 16, 1863.

-Iuveu1'or "$5615, PHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER. WASHIN UNITED STATES PATENT@FFIGE.

ORRIN D. LULL, OF WATKINS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREEC H-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,903, dated June 16,1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ORRIND. LULL, of Watkins, in the county of Schuylerand State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section ofmy improved arm. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same at w m,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cartridge-case. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the breech without the cartridge.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

My said invention consists, first, in an improved mode of applying andsecuring a movable cartridge case; second, in an improved constructionof lock.

p In order that others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

The barrel B is bored completely through from end to end, and is rigidlysecured to the stock A, the latter being formed with a slot or cavity,a, through which access is afforded to the rear of the bore.

0 is a sliding hammer working in the slot a, and driven forward by aspring, D, 'through the medium of rods E F and lever G. The lever Gisfulcrumed at g, the rod E extends from the upper end of the spring toany suitable attachment near the upper end of the lever G, and the rod Fextends from the lower end of the lever G to the rear of the hammer O.

In Fig. 1 the forward positions of the hammer, spring, and connectionsare represented in full lines and the retracted positions in redoutline. Fig. 4 shows the hammer retracted and the gun ready for theinsertion of the cartridge.

H is a dog pressed upward at its rear end by a spring, I, to hold thehammer in its retracted position, and thrown upward at its front end bythe trigger J, in customary manner, when the hammer is to be released.

K is a set-screw, which, by limiting the descent of the forward end ofthe dog, may limit the hold of the rear end upon the hammer, and thusrender the action of the trigger as delicate as desired.

The cartridge used with my improved arm is formed of a cylindricalmetallic case, ,L, open in front for the reception of powder and balland firmly attached at its rear end to a fiange or plate, M, which isadapted to fit in a lateral enlargement or cavity, a, and provided witha projection or handle, m, for inserting and securing the cartridge inthe gun and releasing and removing the empty case therefrom in mannerhereinafter explained. The nipple N projects backward and slightlydownward in proper position to be struck by the concave front of thehammer O.

0 represents powder within the case L.

P represents the ball, which, being firmly inserted in the end of thecase, together with a suitable patch, effectually prevents the escape ofpowder.

Operation: The cartridge-case being thus charged and a cap placed uponthe nipple N, the hammer is retracted, as shown in Fig. 4,

and the cartridge inserted, with -the plate M in a vertical position.The cartridge is then turned on its axis by means of the handle m to theposition shown in Fig. 2, so as to be held from longitudinaldisplacement by the plate M, fitting in the annular cavity a, the rearside of which cavity constitutes a firm longitudinal bearing for thecartridge on both sides of the bore,-to resist the force of theexplosion. The piece is then ready for firing. The hammer, beingreleased in customary manner by pulling the trigger, is thrown forwardwith a Very rapid motion by the interposition of the lever G, and theexplosion -of the cap is thus rendered certain without such pressureagainst the hammer as to render it difficult of retraction. If the borebe slightly tapered forward, the expanding gases will carry the patchforward, togetherwith the ball, in such manner as to prevent contact ofthe lead with the rifles of the gun.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The cartridge L M, constructed substantially as set forth in thedescribed combination, with the longitudinally sliding hammer c,

3. The specific arrangement of the dog H, spring I, trigger J, andset-screw K, in combination with the sliding hammer O.

o den barrel B, longitudinal slot to, and lateral a, arranged to operateas explained.

2. The combination of the sliding hammer 0, spring D, rodsEF, and leverG, constructi ORRIN D. LULL. ed, arranged, and operating as described,in connection with the cylindrical metallic cartridge L M andlongitudinal nipple N.

W'itnesses:

OHARLEs SMITH, J AMES H. GRIDLEY.

